Background to this inspection
Updated
19 December 2023
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by 1 inspector and 2 Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats, and specialist housing.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a manager in post. The manager had submitted an application to be registered with the Care Quality Commission and was scheduled to have their ‘Fit Person’ interview with us. This was completed and the manager was formally registered with us on 23 October 2023.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 11 October 2023 and ended on 7 November 2023. We visited the location’s office on 11 October 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the nominated individual, manager and a member of the providers quality and corporate assurance team. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We reviewed 8 people’s care files and 4 staff personnel files. We looked at the provider’s arrangements for managing risk, medicines management, staff training, induction, and supervision data. We also looked at the service’s quality assurance arrangements.
Following the inspection, the Experts by Experience spoke with 9 people who use the service and 8 people’s relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 6 members of staff about their employment and what it is like to be employed by Essex Cares Limited.
Updated
19 December 2023
About the service
Essex Cares Mid is a domiciliary care service providing the regulated activity of personal care. The service provides reablement support and short-term assessment to people living in their own houses, flats and within specialist housing schemes for up to 6 weeks. At the time of our inspection there were 83 people using the service.
Each person who used the service received the regulated activity of personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Some staff did not feel valued and supported by the provider and registered manager. Staff did not always feel communication with their internal managers was effective and supportive. Suitable arrangements were in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service provided. Overall, there was a positive culture within the service that was person-centred, open, and inclusive. People received a good quality service that was flexible and responsive to their needs, promoting their independence and ensuring the reablement package of support met their goals and aspirations. People's and others view about the quality of the service provided was sought and acted upon.
People told us they were safe and had no concerns about their safety. Suitable arrangements were in place to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm. Staff understood how to raise concerns and knew what to do to safeguard people. Risks to people were identified and managed to prevent people from receiving unsafe care and support. The service was appropriately staffed to meet the needs of the people using the service. People received their medicines as prescribed and in a safe way. Recruitment procedures were followed to ensure the right staff were employed. People were protected by the provider's arrangements for the prevention and control of infection. Arrangements were in place for learning and making improvements when things go wrong.
Suitable arrangements were in place to ensure staff were trained and newly appointed staff received a robust induction. People were supported with their dietary requirement needs. The service ensured they worked collaboratively with others and people were supported to access healthcare services where needed. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People were treated with care, kindness, dignity, and respect. People received a good level of care and support that met their needs and preferences. Staff had a good knowledge and understanding of people's specific care and support needs and how they wished to be cared for and supported. Support plans were in place to reflect how people would like to receive their reablement care and support. Information about how to make a complaint was available and people's representatives told us they were confident to raise issues or concerns.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good [Published December 2017].
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.